Chapter 9.3

TL: Pineapple

Editor: Isalee

"[Wow, it's already over.]"

Okuta spoke with his young voice as he looked over at the court. He had an excited look in his eyes as he stared at Han Woo Jin. That match just showed the vast difference between the two players and how good of a player Han Woo Jin was.

He felt like he now knew why s.h.i.+n Sae Yeon was his agent.

"[You said it's over?]"

"[Yes, there's nothing left to see. His opponent is too weak, it's obvious who will win.]"

He spoke as if he was in Han Woo Jin's shoes. In fact, Okuta's judgment was the same as Han Woo Jin's: Lee Yong Woo's skill level was too far behind.

It was only one game, but the skill level of the game was lower than he expected because Okuta was expecting a lot from Han Woo Jin, not his opponent.

"[Mr. Okuta.]"

Surprised, Okuta turned his head when he heard his name. The woman's gaze was enough to make his heart waver.

"[Y-yes, Miss s.h.i.+n?]"

"[… Mr. Okuta, what do you think about Mr. Woo Jin's skills?]"

Contrary to Okuta's expectations, s.h.i.+n Sae Yeon asked about Han Woo Jin instead of him. Due to his false expectation of thinking she would ask about him, he sighed in disappointment. He felt that this pretty Korean agent had no feelings for him.

"[He's kinda scary.]"

"[You're scared?]"

s.h.i.+n Sae Yeon expected an answer like his physical capabilities were good or that he had good techniques. Okuta saw s.h.i.+n Sae Yeon's face and explained his reasoning.

"[There are many players who are good at calculating plays. However, I have never seen someone who is such a hot-headed person like him.]"

Ah, and another thought came up. Okuta put up his index finger and pointed at his head and heart.

"[I think there's a saying. Cool head but pa.s.sionate heart.]"

"Ah…"

She put on an expression as if she kind of understood what he was saying, but not completely. s.h.i.+n Sae Yeon couldn't say anything because she first needed to organize and understand what he had said to her. Okuta's silence didn't last long as he was interrupted.

[First set finis.h.!.+ Player Han Woo Jin won a perfect match against Lee Yong Woo!]

"Already…"

s.h.i.+n Sae Yeon opened her mouth in astonishment because of how fast the game had ended. Okuta felt really bored while watching this game.

"[I'll see you later Miss s.h.i.+n, I'm heading out now.]"

"[Yes, see you later.]"

Okuta left, and when he turned his head to see her look back at the court right away, Okuta felt a bit angry. He couldn't understand why. This was the first time Okuta had ever felt like this.

As Okuta left the stands, he looked at the player on the court with a sports cut.

'Han Woo Jin… It won't be easy to face him.'

Since his agent made him stop their game, he felt as if he had run away from their game and was sort of traumatized after that.

Okuta Ryusuke. 20.

Everyone said he had a bright future as a tennis player. Everyone exaggerated his future so he had high self-esteem, but he suddenly felt inferior because of Han Woo Jin.

"Congrats on your win."

"Ah, thank you."

Han Woo Jin took the cold towel from s.h.i.+n Sae Yeon and wiped his face. He wasn't tired but the weather was very hot, so he sweat a lot. His mood improved because of the cold towel.

s.h.i.+n Sae Yeon couldn't speak to him because Han Woo Jin looked depressed after he had won the game. A normal person would have been ecstatic, but his face showed unhappiness.

s.h.i.+n Sae Yeon was confused as to why he looked unhappy even though he won.

Han Woo Jin wiped the sweat on his neck and gave it back to s.h.i.+n Sae Yeon. She put the towel in her bag.

"I'm going to return to the hotel. You can stay here a bit longer or you can go sightsee and rest for a bit."

Not only the player, but an agent like s.h.i.+n Sae Yeon was also very busy because she needed to a.n.a.lyze the players' games. She couldn't sleep until she gathered all the information about the other players.

After spending a bit of time with her, Han Woo Jin got to know s.h.i.+n Sae Yeon a bit better.

'She's a bear that looks like a fox.'

Surprisingly, this woman who looked like she grew up privileged and well-off household seemed to be a workaholic. If one didn't tell her to take a break, she wouldn't take her hands off the papers.

Since she only focuses on work, she might be highly successful as a result. However, because she only works, she has bad communications skills and has bad relations.h.i.+ps with her coworkers.

"Mr. Woo Jin."

"Yes?"

Even though he won so easily, he wasn't tired. The temperature was almost over 30 degrees Celsius and he had been running under the hot sun. He used up a lot of water from his body and his muscles were probably tired. Han Woo Jin stopped hearing s.h.i.+n Sae Yeon's voice as she was about to head back to the hotel.

"Player Okuta was here earlier."

"… He came to watch me play. What did he say?"

Han Woo Jin spoke in a low voice. It was a serious topic because it was about his opponent. The only person that he was worried about in this tournament was Okuta Ryusuke.

s.h.i.+n Sae Yeon wondered how to say this and opened her mouth.

"He said he was a little scared. Do you know what he meant?"

"A little scared…."

'It seems like he still wants to fight.'

Han Woo Jin roughly interpreted Okuta's mind. Okuta said 'a little' — he was basically saying that Han Woo Jin's skills were still not up to par with himself.

He liked that. Since he beat an opponent that lost the will to fight, he gained nothing. It was not common to have a chance to meet a talented player like Okuta.

His forehand double wasn't a simple skill that anyone could just learn in 15 days.

"I don't know what he means."

"It's probably nothing to be worried about. You should go rest. I'll be back before dinner."

"Yes."

s.h.i.+n Sae Yeon shook her small hand and Han Woo Jin watched her walk off the court.

The hotel was really close, so he did not need to use a car. The announcer's loud voice that proclaimed the start of the next game hit his ears.

The time after that flowed like water throughout his simple schedule.

After he pa.s.sed the first round, Han Woo Jin went to the hotel right away and rested. He ate and went to sleep. Training during a tournament was something that one should never do.

He needed to give his muscles at least 48 hours to completely rest from muscle fatigue.

He had plenty of time to rest after his first match, but after matches every day following that.

If he accidentally hurt himself while training, then the useless physical activity would become his enemy.

Han Woo Jin just did simple exercises and concentrated on not losing his senses for tennis.

'Player Okuta also easily won his first match. The score was 6-1 and 6-2.'

s.h.i.+n Sae Yeon watched all of the games and she a.n.a.lyzed him. According to her, he didn't use his forehand double style. Maybe he didn't want to show his complete technique yet.

He just roughly observed the other players.

Han Woo Jin had the special power which allowed him to see players' skills. He could confidently state that only Okuta had the possibility of beating him.

s.h.i.+n Sae Yeon discovered Han Woo Jin's att.i.tude toward the other players and saw that he didn't care about them. So she stopped talking about them. Maybe she understood that Han Woo Jin's skills were above the average skill level of the players in this tournament.

July 23rd.

Han Woo Jin's second match soon arrived. Han Woo Jin's match was the first in the top 16 tournament.

His opponent was Kim Jin Hyun who was in his thirties. Although he was over thirty, he played energetically. However, his skills weren't that great.

Han Woo Jin saw him and it reminded him of his past self. Even though his past was what allowed him to become what he was today, he still refused to acknowledge it.

Han Woo Jin was surprised because Kim Jin Hyun suddenly spoke to him.

"Are you Han Woo Jin? You're so young but you're so good."

"Ah, yes… thank you."

n.o.body spoke to him that amiably so he talked to him in a perplexed tone. Kim Jin Hyun walked over and sat next to him.

'What is he doing?'

Kim Jin Hyun smiled at Han Woo Jin who was looking at him with a nervous expression. He took something out from his pocket.

It was an a.n.a.log picture.

"I hope you don't think this is weird, but can you talk to her? This is my daughter."

It was an old picture where player Kim Jin Hyun holding a small baby. Han Woo Jin, wondering why he showed him this picture, just looked at his face.

Kim Jin Hyun simply smiled and put it back into his pocket.

"My daughter is a bit sick… I think this might be my last tournament. I'm perfectly fine with losing to a talented player like you."

No matter how you saw it, this story would bring tears to a person.

Since he didn't have that great of an experience and was over 30 years old, if he took a prolonged leave from tennis, it would be impossible for him to return as a pro.

In his past, Han Woo Jin never skipped a single tennis season and kept on playing. But if he took some time off, he probably would have been kicked out because he was bad.

However, Han Woo Jin's face was like steel when he heard his story because he had heard of this type of story many times in the past.

"… Then please do your best."

"Yes?"

Han Woo Jin laughed at Kim Jin Hyun's dumbfounded expression as if he hadn't expected this type of outcome. Han Woo Jin didn't like players who did these types of things.

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